Great Film Clips: Adaptation. January 29, 2010

Oh, Adaptation., how I love and loathe thee.

This is a great movie. As a whole it is good, and as a study it is outstanding. But there are flaws I cannot overlook on my third or fourth viewing.

However, one of those flaws is definitely not the story seminar. Charlie Kaufman’s brother Donald recommends that he attend a story seminar. At this point Charlie has written some great material, including ‘Being John Malkovich’, but he is stuck, so he goes. The seminar is led by Bob McKee, played by the great Brian Cox (who is consistently underrated as a great actor).

Now, as with all of the great film clips I post, the scene will be much more effective if you have seen the whole movie. But let me tell my fellow artists, ‘Adaptation.’ is about writing, and not only this clip, but the whole film, can be a lesson. Notice how when McKee says, “God help you if you use voice-over in your work, my friends. God hep you. That’s flaccid, sloppy writing. Any idiot can write voice-over in narration to explain the thought of a character,” the voice-over in the movie itself (Adaptation.) stops completely. It is totally self-aware, and for that reason, it is both smarter than 90% of the films ever made and worth a watch by every person who enjoys quality cinema.

And how about when Brian Cox tells off Nic Cage in one of the best condescending monologues of all time?

Many people have seen Charlie Kaufman’s work. ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ is a popular favorite. That is a good film. But to really get an experience, one should either watch ‘Being John Malkovich’ or ‘Adaptation.’. Both are completely excellent and both should be considered required viewing.

Great Movie Scenes of the Decade January 2, 2010

Year-end lists are tough, so naturally decade-end lists are tougher. Instead of a list of my top films for the decade, I’ve compiled notes on 50 51 of my favorite movie scenes from 2000-2009. Please keep in mind a few things:

A) Most of these movies have many great scenes. I simply picked ones that are either my personal favorite or ones I feel encompass the film as a whole in the best way a mere one scene can.
B) I mean the scene in which these events take place, not just the small moment I write about. The leading up to (through foreshadowing), right before, and right after are to be considered as well.
C) These are not my top 50 films of the decade. Do not take this list as such. If I made such a list, I’m sure somewhere between 50-80% of the list would be the same, but that’s a topic for some other time.
D) These are in no particular order, other than the first, which may very well be my favorite.

If you have seen these films, I hope you will enjoy remembering these moments as much as I do. If you have not, I urge you to take the time to do so. There is much to be felt.

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Graysmith looking Arthur Leigh Allen in the eye at the end of ‘Zodiac’

When Jack gives “directions” to some tourists to the “Louvre” in ‘2 Days in Paris’

Battle of Carthage recreation in the Coliseum in ‘Gladiator’

Jake Sully flying through the Floating Mountains on Pandora in ‘Avatar’

Cady meeting the Plastics in ‘Mean Girls’

Climax of ‘Oldboy’ in Woo-jin’s penthouse

The gathering of the crew in ‘Ocean’s 11’

WALL-E playing in space with EVE using the fire extinguisher in ‘WALL-E’